Dierks Bentley reminisced with Sounds Like Nashville about his favorite New Year's Eve traditions. Though he'll be starting a new tradition this year as he heads to Nashville to perform on the CBS special, New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, he looks back fondly on spending quality time with his family in colder temperatures.
“I’ve spent the last few New Year’s Eves out in Colorado, so just going skiing on New Year’s Day was always a big tradition. The whole family, everyone goes to ski together,” he recalled. “I’ve had so many different versions of New Year’s Eve depending on what phase of life I’m in. There’s been some New Year's recently where I like to be sound asleep by the time 12 o’clock rolls around so I can have a great start to the New Year and not be hungover and starting the year off on the wrong foot.”
“I spent most of my New Year's as a kid in the little town of Durango, Colorado, and my parents had a 12-inch, black and white TV,” he continued, looking back on some of his fondest family memories. “For better or worse, I’d watch the ball drop in Times Square on this little black and white TV, wishing I was back with my buddies getting in trouble back in Phoenix. My parents wisely took me out of Phoenix for the holidays and we just spent it in a little cabin.”
He'll certainly be missing his time with family in Colorado, but Bentley is excited to take the stage in Nashville and ring in 2022 with a bit of music. “This is kind of a new tradition, to be in Nashville and to be playing a show,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time I played a show during New Year’s Eve, so I feel like coming out of the pandemic, it’s all about new — making new traditions, and having gratitude for old things that you might have taken for granted.”
One old tradition Bentley will keep alive in 2022 is hitting the road. He'll resume his 'Beers On Me' tour on January 6 in London, Ontario and will then make his way throughout Canada and the United States until March. "People think we are crazy to go to Canada and the Northwest in January, but we’ve learned from previous tours that it’s a great time to bring a party up there,” Bentley said about kicking off the tour in Canada. “For me personally, I don’t mind that there is plenty of ice, snow, and mountains for some adventure between shows.”
Bentley announced the first leg of his 'Beers on Beers Tour' back in May 2021, before the shows kicked off in mid-August with opening acts Parker McCollum, Riley Green and Mitchell Tenpenny. This second leg features opening acts Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson and Tenille Arts.